Today we’d like to introduce you to Eileen Mckeon Butt
Hi Eileen McKeon, can you start by introducing yourself? We’d love to learn more about how you got to where you are today?
I’ve always been involved in creative activities, but by 2010, the paintings and drawings were starting to pile up, and I knew it was time to take the next step.
An acquaintance asked if I’d like to be part of an art show she was organizing, and I instantly replied “YES” without even thinking! That experience turned out to be the beginning of my career as an artist, and what an amazing journey it’s been!
I’m glad I didn’t realize how many skills I’d need in order to do everything I’ve accomplished since then because I think I would have been scared, but I’ve found that when you take each step along the way as it presents itself, the whole process is actually very exciting! An unexpectedly wonderful part of the process is meeting all the helpful people in the community who magically appear to provide advice and assistance when you have no idea what you’re doing.
One of those times was when I had to learn how to hang a solo show. I was offered an opportunity to display my artwork at a local coffee shop, and I was puzzled about the best way to arrange all the pieces on the walls. After visiting the site and taking a close look at the space, my next step was to go back home and photograph and then cut out thumbnail images of my artwork, then spend a million years moving them around on my desk until they were “perfect.” The plan only lasted until I took everything back on site, where the lighting, hanging system, traffic patterns and my loathing of tall ladders all became factors in actually getting the artwork up onto the walls.
Thankfully, an Extremely patient family member helped me stabilize the (wildly gyrating) paintings as I wrested each of them onto the hanging system, and about 3 hours later, the job was done, and everything looked great!
Despite the steep learning curve, I was So grateful for the opportunity to show my work in public, learn how it should be done, and gain lots of ideas for how to do everything better in the future.
Every other opportunity I’ve had since then has not only contributed to my skill set, but also given me confidence in sharing my art with the public while growing my skills as an artist. Connecting with total strangers and hearing their feedback has been an amazing part of the experience—this is the part you just can’t imagine when you’re holed up in the studio creating away!
I’m sure it wasn’t obstacle-free, but would you say the journey has been fairly smooth so far?
Aside from organizational challenges and ladders (see above), there were other pitfalls to negotiate in my journey as an artist. One particular issue I found vexing was how to figure out pricing. There is SO much advice online about this, including the dubious suggestion to charge by the square inch(!) Over a very long period of time, I finally had enough experience with the local market to know approximately what I should charge for any particular piece, and so of course that was the exact time when I was inspired by a friend to totally Abandon putting prices on anything!
I now have conversations with potential buyers, and while having a price in mind, will engage in discussions about what’s reasonable for them, keeping in mind what I’m hoping for, and this usually leads to a satisfactory outcome. It’s taken me a long time to be confident enough to follow this approach, but unless I’m dealing with a gallery or online site when I’m required to post prices, this is the way I plan to continue. It’s Way more dynamic (and fun) than just listing prices and hoping for the best, and it also allows me to make exceptions if that makes sense in a particular situation.
Another more general challenge has been the actual process of putting my work and myself “out there,” which is really hard for all of us introverts! However, once I have artwork that I’m excited about, my desire to share it always outweighs any hesitation. I realize that at that point, my job is now to be the promoter of the work; that it deserves to have its own life outside of my studio, so I need to help it in every way I can think of. Of course, that still doesn’t totally eliminate the horrible feeling of “cringe” when having to write glowingly about oneself, or the difficulties of having a very neat studio for photos, or in my case, a relaxed smile for any camera on the planet Earth.
Alright, so let’s switch gears a bit and talk business. What should we know about your work?
I actually have two different directions of creative output: the first is my artwork, which is an almost equal mix of painting and drawing. I can’t get through a day without spending at least a few minutes creating “something.” The second is my writing and editing, with the former being personal journals and the latter being a paid “side gig.” You might say I’ve divided my time into “right brain,” vs “left brain” and I’ve found that I can’t truly be happy without both.
I think what sets me apart as an artist is that I’m always cooking up something unexpected. I don’t sit comfortably in one genre or medium, or even art form; all I know is that I feel compelled to keep experimenting with and exploring anything creative that speaks to me. Letting go of the urge to plan every next step has made my creative practice feel truly energizing and exciting.
With regard to specializations, this has been a bit of a winding path. Although I’ve created tons of art that can be considered science-based and even won awards for some of it, the artwork I’ve been exploring for the past couple of years has been abstract drawing. There’s actually a connection between the two….
Quite some time ago, I started watching shows on particle physics, cosmology, and planetary science. Yep, that’s the type of thing that I do when I’m bored. Something unexpected that struck me was the connection between abstract art and science—particularly how subatomic particles resemble abstract art when rendered. I became fascinated by depicting unseen forces, black holes, tiny particles, and the beauty of phenomena like nebulas and galaxy clusters. This inspired me to create paintings of it all, learning a lot about both art and science along the way. I’m definitely not a scientist, but I enjoyed challenging myself to grasp the basic concepts and reflect them in my artwork.
After pursuing this direction for some time, my focus on abstraction reignited my love of abstract art in general, and for the past few years, this has led to several series of drawings which explore very different themes, of a more personal and emotional nature.
For example, during Covid, the theme that emerged was resistance against constriction, depicted in my series “Isolation Creations.” Several years later, when I felt able to breathe again, the feeling of lightness and playfulness was the basis of my series “Kaleidescapes.” Most recently, my focus has been on attempting to put raw energy right onto the page in my new series “Impersections.” Not sure when I’m going to be pulling my finger out of the plug with this series, but I’m definitely loving the process!
I’m grateful to have consistently channeled my energy into artwork, no matter what’s happening in the world. It’s been an invaluable source of peace and stability—a truly vital outlet.
Is there any advice you’d like to share with our readers who might just be starting out?
Try everything! You don’t really know what you’ll be naturally skilled at, or what you’ll feel connected to until you try lots and lots of different creative things. I’m actually a strong advocate of spending tons of time on things you’re definitely Not feeling accomplished at if you’re somehow drawn to it, or just love a challenge (Me, with watercolors!).
Stay under the radar for a while. There’s nothing worse for a creative than pushing yourself onstage before you’re good and ready. You are not obligated to share or show Any of your work ever, but it’s especially important to keep your creative time sacred while you’re new to learning and experimenting. Sharing your work at the wrong time, or to the wrong people, can be a gigantic roadblock to your progress; you deserve the right to develop without interference.
Find your people. It’s really great sharing your creations with close friends and family, but what you’re going to need really soon is legit feedback from people who “get it.” You might find some of these folks by taking a class, but a couple of other good ways are through local meetups or by joining artists’ associations. You can Google these things and quickly find out who’s available to connect with in your area: Highly Recommend.
Be patient with yourself. Part of the fun of creating is not always knowing how things will turn out, and your life is one of those creative works. It’s ok to start in one direction, and then abandon it and do something completely different. This does not mean you’re lost: it means you’re Creative, and you like to pursue different possibilities until you hit on something that feels right. There’s no linear goal with this lifestyle; you’re going to try lots of different things and have all sorts of outcomes. But all along the way, there will be growth and learning. So be patient with yourself, and especially be your own best friend when things go sideways. You’ll get back on track, and there are lots of us out there who’ll be there to help you.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://eileenmckeonbutt.com
- Instagram: @eileensmb
- Twitter: @sciencesart
Image Credits
Alia Jehan
